Purdue Extension Service

Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Squirrel Mange Present Again in Tri-State

By Larry Caplan, Extension Horticulture Educator, Vanderburgh County, IN

For the Evansville Courier and Press, February 25, 2007

I've had some reports on "bald" squirrels showing up in the Tri-State lately. The squirrels appear to be losing fur over various parts of their body. These squirrels most likely have mange, which is caused by one of two types of mites.  These mites cause incredibly itchy rashes, and the infested animal literally scratches his fur off. Some of these mange mites will only attack squirrels and related species, but others can also attack pets and humans. There's also a chance that this could be caused by a fungal infection, but mange mites were a big problem two years ago. 

Although the mange itself isn't a fatal condition, furless squirrels will not be able to keep warm during cold snaps, and are likely to freeze to death. There's not much we can realistically do to help infested squirrels. 

If you find a dead bird or squirrel in your yard, keep your pets away from it. Scoop up and wrap the animal in newspaper, place it in a trash bag, and secure it in a trash can. Be sure to wear disposable rubber gloves.  

As I'm sure you've heard by now, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has recalled certain batches of peanut butter that came from a single processing plant owned by ConAgra Foods. The recall included certain jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter. Lids of jars produced by ConAgra Foods with a product code beginning "2111" can either be returned to the company for a refund, or simply thrown in the trash.   

I was asked if this peanut butter could be used for feeding birds.  This is an admirable idea, to avoid wasting food.  However, the specialists at Nuisance Wildlife Information Hotline have said this is NOT a good idea.  Birds can get salmonella, and could possibly be sickened by contaminated peanut butter.  They can then spread this disease to other wild birds when they congregate at feeders.   So...even though you want to recycle this food product, it's safer to either throw it away or return it to the store for a refund.

For more information on mange mites or protecting yourself from food poisoning, contact the Purdue Extension Service at (812) 435-5287.